At bank branches, the bank provides a number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and teller stations where customers can transact independent of tellers at the ATMs and where customers can transact with tellers at the teller stations.
The ATM hardware and software are closely controlled and monitored by the servicing organization of the bank. Network access outside the bank branch is restricted to just secure financial networks. Servicing engineers have to physically be present at each ATM to service that ATM even when the service required is related to a software asset.
The servicing organization may service multiple different bank branches and each bank branch may have different assets or a different configuration of assets (hardware and software) for each ATM within that bank branch.
This leads to highly coupled heterogeneous environments across bank branches and even within a same bank branch. The servicing organization has to deal with a client-centric servicing approach, requiring client-specific or even installation-specific (for a same client) experts. This is inefficient and costly to both the bank and the servicing organization.
Moreover, the client banks have begun to manage updates and replacements to their hardware and software assets because of security and expense issues associated with such tasks. So, asset updates are infrequent and any desired customization of the assets is done across the bank's entire fleet of assets, even though the banks desire the ability to move from their existing coarse-grain model of customization to a more fine-grain model of customization. With the present state of technology in the industry, the effort and expense to achieve these bank goals remain elusive.